Ontario’s new COVID-19 directive to suspend all non-urgent surgeries and procedures took effect on Jan. 5, applying to both hospitals and independent clinics. Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore announced the so-called “Directive #2” (pdf) earlier this week, instructing hospitals and health care providers to halt all non-emergent and non-urgent surgeries and procedures in order to preserve critical care and human resource capacity in the healthcare system in light of rising infection cases due to the Omicron variant. While the policy mainly regulates hospitals with patients slated to undergo surgeries or procedures, a Health Ministry spokesperson told CP24 on Jan. 5 that other independent clinics and health facilities are also required to pause all “non-urgent/non-emergency procedures that require surgical nursing support or anesthesia health human resources.” “This is consistent with what was previously in place with Directive #2 and helps to ensure that health human resources remain available …